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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27428803">What If The Bottle Didn't Break?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dangobango/pseuds/Dangobango'>Dangobango</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Awkward Romance, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Injury Recovery, Killing Game (Dangan Ronpa), M/M, Near Death Experiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 01:09:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,149</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27428803</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dangobango/pseuds/Dangobango</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Empty thuds instead of shattered glass. Nagito Komaeda survived his own attempted murder. Hajime Hinata demands to know who is responsible for the gruesome crime and takes it upon himself to care for Nagito as he recovers. While Nagito stays with him, Hajime gets an even more intimate look at his warped psyche and finds something he's not sure he can describe as much as feel.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hinata Hajime/Komaeda Nagito</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>294</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. A Body Has Been Recovered</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Inspired by the art series "what if the bottle didn't break?" by yndr4hope on Twitter<br/>(if they want me to take this down, I will)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Quickly, the warehouse!” Hajime cried out.</p><p>Six out of the seven remaining students of the killing school trip, Hajime, Kazuichi, Chiaki, Akane, Sonia, and Fuyuhiko, were all in a rush to get back to the warehouse when a fire suddenly broke out as they opened the door. They all figured they knew exactly who was behind it. Fire grenades in tow, the group came back and threw them without a second thought. </p><p>
  <em> Clunk. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Clunk, clunk, clunk, clunk, clunk. </em>
</p><p>They all stood in silent horror. The grenades didn’t break. One after another, they fell helplessly to the ground. That was their only option. Were they just supposed to let the warehouse burn? Is this what<em> he </em>had wanted all along? To give them false ‘hope’, which he claimed to love so much?</p><p>Before they could even say a word, though, the sprinklers activated. The fire quickly died down and they were able to get further inside. </p><p>“Hey, the curtain’s burnt down!” Fuyuhiko pointed out.</p><p>They all dodged the fallen Monokuma pallets and ran to see what was behind there and quickly wished they hadn’t. </p><p>“What the... fuck…?” Hajime trailed off. </p><p> </p><p>The last one of them, Nagito, laid tied up by his limbs on the floor, soaked in and surrounded by his own blood. Stab wounds in his legs, a knife stabbed into his palm, and a massive spear thrust into his abdomen. His mouth was taped shut and tears were threatening to trickle down his cheeks. He looked up at them with wide eyes. </p><p> </p><p><em> “What the fuck?!” </em>Hajime screamed. He fell to his knees and crawled over to him. He immediately ripped the tape off Nagito’s mouth, who took gasping breaths once he did. “Nagito, wha… who… did this to you?” Nagito opened and closed his mouth like he was trying to speak but his mouth wouldn’t listen. Hajime lifted up Nagito’s head, cradling it on his arm. “Nagito, can you hear me?”</p><p> </p><p>He nodded. He averted his gaze and looked beyond him to the rest of the group. Hajime followed his line of sight and whipped around to face them.</p><p> </p><p><em> “Who did this?!” </em>He shouted. </p><p>“Wh- don’t tell me you think one of<em> us </em>did this! None of us hated Nagito that badly… right?” Kazuichi tried to reason. </p><p>“I do not feel so well, I think I might get sick…” Sonia covered her mouth and turned around.</p><p>“Don’t run from this, Sonia!” Hajime cried.</p><p>“Hajime, what’s gotten into you? I get bein’ suspicious of everyone, but you’ve never been so aggressive before,” Akane said. </p><p>“Yeah? Well, no one’s ever been this brutal before, either. Especially not to…” he trailed off again and glanced back at Nagito, who looked at him silently. “Where’s a first aid kit?”</p><p> </p><p>“The only ones I can remember are at the hospital and the supermarket,” Chiaki tried to recall. “I think.”</p><p>“You’re no help,” Hajime replied bluntly. “One of you go get one. Maybe multiple, with a shit-ton of bandages.”</p><p>“Why don’t you do it yourself, huh?” Fuyuhiko quipped.</p><p>“I don’t trust any of you to watch him. At least not alone.”</p><p> </p><p>“Alright, alright, how about three of us get first aid, the other three stay here?” Chiaki suggested, literally putting herself between them. “Maybe me, Hajime, and Sonia stay, then Kazuichi, Fuyuhiko, and Akane get them?”</p><p> </p><p>“I guess that’s okay,” Akane said. Kazuichi and Fuyuhiko looked equally annoyed as they walked with her out of the warehouse. Chiaki and Sonia both approached them, but Hajime hovered over him like they were actively trying to hurt them.</p><p> </p><p>“Hajime, it’s gonna be okay,” Chiaki tried to soothe, putting her hand on his back. Her words fell on deaf ears, though, as all his attention was zeroed in on the dying boy.</p><p> </p><p>“Nagito. Nagito, talk to me. Please.”</p><p>“He might be in shock,” Sonia suggested. “He might not be able to reply to you.”</p><p>“If that’s true, he might not even remember who did it,” he replied glumly.</p><p> </p><p>Nagito's eyes started to flutter shut. </p><p>“Nagito! Don’t you dare!” Hajime cried out, his voice cracking. “Stay with me, stay with me…” he begged. Nagito fought to keep his eyes open. </p><p> </p><p>Akane, Kazuichi, and Fuyuhiko came back with various items in their grasp. Bandages, adhesive tape, alcohol, and gauze were all visible.</p><p>“We grabbed everything we could find,” Kazuichi said, out of breath as he set his stuff down.</p><p>“Thank you,” Hajime said before rummaging through it and taking out what he thought was necessary. “Can one of you untie him while I get the knife out of his hand?”</p><p>“Got it,” Akane took it upon herself. She went to each of Nagito’s limbs and undid the ropes tied to his wrists and ankles. Hajime wrapped his hand around the knife.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, Nagito, this is gonna hurt a bit, alright?” Nagito nodded and took a shaky breath.</p><p>“Here, bite this,” Fuyuhiko stuck some gauze in Nagito’s mouth. “Don’t wanna bite through your jaw.”</p><p>“Good idea. Alright, here goes,” Hajime said, bracing himself more than Nagito.</p><p>“Hey, Nagito, what’s your favorite color?” Fuyuhiko asked. Nagito looked at him totally bewildered. </p><p>“Hu-” Hajime pulled the knife and Nagito let out a deafening scream. Even with him biting the gauze, his scream could definitely have been heard from the outside. Hajime reached over to the bandages, but Sonia had already prepared. She wrapped the bandage around Nagito’s hand several times and put some tape over the remaining piece on his palm.</p><p> </p><p>“I do hope that will be enough,” Sonia said quietly. “Is it okay if I do his other wounds, Hajime?”</p><p>Hajime thought for a moment.</p><p>“Fine. It’ll save time.”</p><p>Sonia smiled softly and went to bandage his arm first. Fuyuhiko put his hands around the spear in Nagito’s stomach.</p><p> </p><p> “Alright, on 3?” Fuyuhiko suggested.</p><p>“Wh- you can’t just take it out!” Kazuichi exclaimed.</p><p>“Well, what are we supposed to do, let him walk around with a spear in his fuckin’ stomach?!”</p><p>“You’ve gotta be gentle, at least!”</p><p>“How gentle can you be ripping a spear out?!”</p><p>“Just hurry up!” Hajime shouted.</p><p> </p><p>Fuyuhiko sighed and pulled the spear out all at once. Nagito curled up on himself as his muffled scream managed to be even louder than before. Hajime pressed down on his stomach when blood started gushing out. </p><p>“Sonia, need you!” he said as he lifted Nagito’s torso off the ground.</p><p>“Understood!” She fumbled with getting the bandage all the way around Nagito’s body but got it to work just enough. Once that was settled, she bandaged his legs and stepped back.</p><p> </p><p>Before anyone could get another word in, Hajime lifted Nagito up off the ground and got him situated on his back. Nagito looked surprised but still wrapped his arms around his shoulders.</p><p>“Whoa, what are you doing?” Kazuichi asked.</p><p>“I’m taking him to my cottage,” Hajime replied.</p><p>“Wait, why?!”</p><p>“He’s gonna recover there. I don’t trust any of you to look after him.”</p><p> </p><p>With that blunt remark, Hajime walked Nagito out of the warehouse and went off to the central island. No one tried to stop him.</p><p> </p><p>~~</p><p> </p><p>When Hajime made it to his cottage, all he needed to do was give it a slight kick to open (courtesy of his broken lock). He kicked it back and walked over to his bed. He bent down to help Nagito get off his back, but Nagito pretty much fell off of him and landed on the bed. </p><p> </p><p>“Sorry! You okay?”</p><p> </p><p>Nagito nodded. Hajime took a survival knife from his pocket. Nagito’s eyes widened and he skittered back in fear.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, no, it’s not what you think.” He handed Nagito the blade, pointing the handle at him. “I kept this. Use it if someone comes by, I’ll go get the rest of the first aid kit, alright?” Hajime turned to walk away when Nagito mumbled something under his breath. “Huh? Did you say something?”</p><p> </p><p>“Thank...you…” Nagito murmured in a raspy voice. </p><p> </p><p>Hajime was taken aback. He couldn’t remember if Nagito ever actually<em> thanked </em>him for anything. As messed up as it sounds, he was almost liking Nagito being in this vulnerable state. He liked having him under his watch. Maybe he’d see that old side of him he once knew.</p><p> </p><p>“...yeah,” he replied with a smile.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Opening Old Wounds</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hajime went around every island and brought back all the first aid kits he could find. When he returned, he opened the door to find Nagito struggling to take his clothes off. </p><p>“What are you- oh. I guess it’s not really appealing to have bloody clothes stuck to you. Here, lemme help.”</p><p>Hajime set the supplies down by the door and went over to Nagito on the bed. He had already gotten his jacket off, and his sliced arm thankfully had minimal bleeding. Nagito let his hands fall limp in defeat before Hajime loosened the bandages around his thighs so his pants would come off. </p><p><em> ‘Kinda weird to help Nagito take his clothes off, but it’s not like I’m stripping him naked,’  </em>Hajime thought.</p><p>“I… probably should have brought over clean clothes. Is your cottage unlocked?” Hajime asked. Nagito reached down to the floor and fished the key out of his pants. “Stop pushing yourself!” Hajime grabbed the key from his hands. “You stay there.”</p><p>“Yes, Master,” Nagito called in a teasing tone as Hajime left. </p><p><em> ‘Can he not be weird for </em> five minutes<em>?!’  </em> </p><p> </p><p>Hajime went and came back with a couple changes of clothes. “Good thing they’re all identical,” he muttered. He got a roll of bandages and started to tear it into pieces. He went to rewrap Nagito’s arm first. </p><p> </p><p>“Why?” Nagito asked out of the blue.</p><p>“Why what?” Hajime replied.</p><p>“Why did you save me?”</p><p>“What, did you think I was just gonna let you die?” Nagito opened his mouth. “Actually, don’t answer that.” He closed it.</p><p> </p><p>Hajime knelt down to focus on the stab wounds in Nagito’s legs. He counted at least six different ones on each. </p><p>“Jesus… who did this to you, Nagito?” Silence. “You can tell me, please.” Hajime looked up to find that his cheeks were red and he was looking off to the side. “I guess it has to be painful to remember… you didn’t deserve this. You know that, right? I know you don’t like yourself all that much, but it’s true.” Once he had redone both of them, he stroked one of his thighs lightly in an attempt to comfort him, but he jolted instead. “Ah, sorry!” Hajime looked at Nagito’s shirt. “This one’s gonna be a doozy,” he sighed.</p><p>“A doozy?” Nagito laughed.</p><p>Hajime couldn’t help smiling. It was different hearing Nagito laugh at something funny rather than… whatever he normally laughed about.</p><p>“I guess that’s putting it mildly, huh?” Hajime replied. He unraveled the copious amounts of bandages wrapped around his abdomen. It all piled onto the bed into a small mountain. He gently lifted his shirt up and off of him. A bit of blood trickled down his abdomen, but Hajime wiped it off with part of an old bandage. He looked up and down Nagito's torso, glancing at the wound only once. '<em>He really is thin, it's amazing he didn't completely bleed out back there, there was so much. Must be his luck, I guess. And it's also probably his luck that makes him look so-' </em></p><p>“Hajime, you’re staring,” Nagito said softly.</p><p>“Wh- huh?” He snapped out of it.</p><p>“You’re staring at me.”</p><p>“Shit, sorry…” Hajime shook his head and just rewrapped his wound as quickly as he could. He picked one of Nagito's clean shirts. "Arms up." Nagito obeyed and Hajime slipped his shirt onto him.</p><p>"You're acting like a concerned mother," Nagito commented.</p><p>"I-I'm not! I... guess I'm concerned, but I'm not your mom!" Hajime fumbled.</p><p>"That would make for a very awkward timeline," he replied with that stupidly carefree smile.</p><p>"Just be quiet, don't make me regret helping you..." he huffed.</p><p>"I'm surprised you don't already."</p><p> </p><p>Deafening silence rang for a good few minutes.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> Ding dong, bing bong! </strong>
</p><p>TV static, followed by the voice of the devil:</p><p>"Ahem! Hope’s Peak Academy School Trip Executive Committee has an announcement to make… It is now 10:00 PM. Please return to your rooms and relax. Let the sound of the ocean gently rock you to sleep. Now then, sweet dreams everyone. Good niiiight….” The monitor turned itself off.</p><p>"Fuck you."</p><p>Nagito snorted.</p><p> </p><p>“You must be tired. After, you know, almost bleeding out,” Hajime said awkwardly.</p><p>“Yeah,” Nagito replied.</p><p>"Wanna go ahead and lay down?"</p><p>"Huh? H-here? Well, where would you sleep?"</p><p>"I..." ...<em> haven't thought that far.  </em>"I guess I'd just sleep beside you. There's enough room for both of us."</p><p>"In your bed? Are you sure?"</p><p>"D-don't think too hard about it! It's just until you recover!"</p><p>"I... only if you're sure."</p><p>"Yes, I'm sure, it's fine."</p><p> </p><p>"Alright." Nagito scooted over and flipped to the side facing the window.</p><p>Hajime laid down and pulled the blanket over both of them. </p><p>“Night, Nagito.”</p><p>“Good night, Hajime.”</p><p>Neither of them said anything else before they fell asleep. </p><p> </p><p>~~</p><p> </p><p>Only an hour passed until Nagito woke up. Despite how much draining his injuries were, he couldn’t bear to stay asleep; and how fortunate for him. He had never planned to stay under Hajime’s watch. He sat up in the bed, glancing over to double-check that Hajime was still asleep. He stood up and began walking towards the door. He suddenly stopped in the middle of the room and looked back at the sleeping boy.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> ‘I… I can’t do it. I can’t frame him, can I? Someone like him, someone so- no, I have to. I… I believe in him. I know his hope’s strong enough to overcome something as simple as me dying. And if I’m wrong… well, that’s that. I win.’ </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Nagito weaved his fingers through his bandages to reach his skin. He sucked in air through his teeth as he scratched at his wounds, letting more blood gush out onto the floor. He took more shaky steps, leaving bloody footprints along the floor. His strained breaths and squelching footsteps were enough to wake Hajime up.</p><p> </p><p>"Mmh?" Hajime groaned, slowly sitting up. He turned to the source of the sounds and found Nagito up and all but limping, whimpering and bleeding. “Nagito, what the hell are you doing?!” he shouted.</p><p>The sudden outburst startled Nagito and made him fall onto the floor. Hajime jumped up out of bed and grabbed Nagito’s arm. </p><p> </p><p>“What did I tell you about...” Hajime trailed off and looked around the room in horror. He saw everything. The trailing of blood from the bed to the floor. The bandages on Nagito’s thigh coming undone, and the blood on his hands. “Nagito… why is there blood everywhere?”</p><p> </p><p>“I have to finish what I started,” he replied.</p><p> </p><p>“What? What do you mean?”</p><p> </p><p>Nagito started to laugh. Hajime stared at him worriedly.</p><p> </p><p>“What do you mean you’ll finish what you started?!” He repeated, a frantic tone evident in his voice.</p><p> </p><p>Nagito’s laugh only grew louder and more maniacal in response until he finally inhaled sharply and looked up at him with that familiar dark swirl in his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“<em>I </em>did it, Hajime.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. A Shining New Hope</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“...what?” Hajime asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I said I did it,” Nagito replied.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You did what?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I planned my own death,” Nagito chuckled. “I tied </span>
  <em>
    <span>myself</span>
  </em>
  <span> up, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>cut</span>
  </em>
  <span> myself and... I stabbed myself,” he said all too cheerfully.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How could you possibly-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It was easy, really. Just some rope and a knife, along with the spear-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, I mean, </span>
  <em>
    <span>why </span>
  </em>
  <span>would you do that?!” Hajime interrupted him. “Why would you want to kill yourself, and so elaborately?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Now, who said I was killing myself?” Nagito asked, raising an eyebrow. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That was enough to set Hajime off. He pulled Nagito up to his face by the shirt collar, gritting his teeth.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Enough of your misleading bullshit. Tell me </span>
  <em>
    <span>exactly </span>
  </em>
  <span>what happened, Nagito. Every step, every detail.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nagito blushed and nodded. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"You all know I wanted to pick out the traitor. And I knew just how to do it."</p>
<p>"How?!"</p>
<p>"I would make them kill me," Nagito grinned. "Those Monokuma panels by the door? When you forced it open, they made a domino effect and tilted a lighter I placed by a curtain to light it on fire. I knew you all would grab those fire grenades, and so I made use of them. I filled one of them with a special poison Monokuma had made. When the grenades shattered, the poison would have made it into the air, and I, laying down, would have inhaled it quicker and easier than most. The poison wouldn't have killed any of you because the poison is subjective to hydrolysis, and it would have dissipated when the sprinklers went off. Before you could make it inside the building."</p>
<p>"And what does that all have to do with the traitor killing you?! And what about all those wounds?!"</p>
<p>"I trusted my luck to find who would throw the poisoned grenade, and thus be the direct cause of my death. I had no idea who the traitor was myself, or if they even really exist, but my luck has never failed me before," Nagito explained, the chilling grin never leaving his face. "And the wounds, well, they were all meant to just mislead you. The more wounds I had in both quantity and quality would have made things so much more difficult for you all," he laughed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You did all this... and for what?" Hajime said coldly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess you can say... I was putting you all through the ultimate test,” Nagito chuckled. “I wanted to make a murder impossible for anyone to solve. But I believed in you all, I believed in your ho-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Our hope, right,” Hajime interrupted. “And what if we all died, huh? What if we got it wrong?!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then that just means the killer will take their hope for the rest of the world to see,” he grinned, that familiar dark haze in his eyes swirling. “And you, Hajime, without a talent, you can bring forth the strongest hope of all. I believed in you so much more than the others… and I still do.”  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tears pricked at Hajime’s eyes. Nagito really was going to take things that far to test hope? As if he hadn’t been doing that enough this whole time? Why did he always have to make things so complicated? Why couldn’t he have just been an asshole from the start and not give Hajime those glimpses of tenderness and warmth that can ironically be called hope?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Why do I still even like you?! I should have just let you bleed to death!’ </span>
  </em>
  <span>Hajime mentally screamed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“So, Hajime… are you finally gonna ki--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, shut up! I’m not gonna let your attempts to piss me off work.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah. So I’ve been caught.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hajime sighed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I see you’re still as much of a danger as before. Guess I gotta treat you like one.” He went over to his closet. “Glad Akane gave me this just in case.” Hajime brought out two short pieces of rope in his hand. Nagito saw what he was holding and smiled softly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Why are you so fucking happy about this?” Hajime grumbled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because I know you’ll do what’s necessary in the end,” Nagito replied.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>All Hajime had to do was walk back and Nagito put his arms out for him. Hajime sighed and wrapped the rope around his wrists. He took the other piece and bent down to wrap his ankles. He shoved Nagito on the bed, who turned over and faced the window.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hajime sat at the edge of his bed with his head in his hands. He could hear Nagito breathing heavily and feel him shaking the bed, shivering. He hadn’t the slightest idea what to do with him now. He couldn’t just leave him. After all, the bomb in the middle of Jabberwock Park will detonate in a few days, leaving him to die, which is exactly what he wants. And with Nagito’s divine luck, who knows what catastrophe that would bring if they were willing to do that?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘And besides… I care too much about him to just let him die. I’ve seen too many people die here, and I’ve seen too much despair. Even if I hated him, I made a promise. I promised myself that we would all escape the island together. I guess… that means I only have one option. I have to convince Nagito to come with us, wherever we end up going.’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hajime finally laid down with a huff. He turned on his side, facing Nagito. He wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him to his chest. He felt Nagito jolt.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Huh? What are you…?” Nagito asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I care about you, Nagito.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wh- how, why? Why do you still-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know. But I do.” Hajime lifted his head and rested it on his shoulder. “...hey.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmm?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you ever consider maybe our hope includes you?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Nagito lifted his head just enough to be able to turn to look at Hajime.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s a sick joke, Hajime,” he said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It would be if it wasn’t a joke.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Why would you ever consider tainting your hope with someone like me?"</span>
</p>
<p>"I promised to take everyone out of here alive with me. And I mean everyone. That alone gives me hope."</p>
<p>"So you want to take me with you?"</p>
<p>"Yes."</p>
<p>"How would I ev-"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hajime gave a quick kiss on the lips. Nagito's eyes went wide and his cheeks quickly reddened.</p>
<p>"What did you just...?" He trailed off.</p>
<p>"I <em>care </em>about you, Nagito. How many times do I have to say it? I'll admit you haven't been the most... conventional motivator. You've pissed me off. A lot. But you helped me get through a lot of the trials. You gave me reasons to go on when I felt like just laying down and dying myself," Hajime explained.</p>
<p>"Hajime..."</p>
<p>"I remember the Nagito I met the first day on the island. The one who stayed behind when I passed out and helped me while everyone else moved on. The one who tried to befriend everyone. The one who investigated the first murder with me. I think... no, I know he still exists inside you."</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nagito thought in silence for a bit, considering everything Hajime said.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So that's how you see me... as not just trash," Nagito concluded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I know you're smart enough to understand my spelling out how I feel," Hajime sighed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I know... that you care about me. Because I'm a symbol of hope to you."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Nagito, no one has to be 'symbolic' of anything. You can bring something to the world without being that thing yourself."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...I'm sorry," Nagito said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Huh? For what?" Hajime asked, bewildered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"For how I treated you after discovering you had no Ultimate talent. Truthfully, I never held true resentment towards you for it. It's not your fault you were born average. I guess I just felt lied to. Lied to by the story I made up all on my own. Maybe even jealous of-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't you dare try to say you were jealous of me."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I am, in a way. My luck is the only thing about me that can be called talent and it's made life hell for me. If I were average like you, I wouldn't have to deal with the burden of this 'talent'. And maybe I could have even met you in the Reserve Department, and we could've been together there."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You... like me that much?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"... remember when I told you that all I ever wanted was to be loved and understood by somebody and to not die alone?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"And you said that was all just a plot of a book you read."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Maybe my autobiography," he quipped.<br/></span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Nagito's face fell and he looked sullen. Hajime, however, smiled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"There he is," Hajime remarked. "The Nagito I knew. Or rather, wanted to know."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That makes you happy?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course it does. Oh, and before you can object, you're coming back with us. I've made up my mind. You're, in your language, too hopeful for us to just be abandoned."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Really?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hajime nodded. Nagito beamed and his tone suddenly shifted.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Being seen as hopeful by you is the highest honor I've ever been given! </span>
  <span>If you want to carry your stepladder to hope with you along the way, I-I’d be more than happy to oblige!” Nagito declared. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hajime chuckled.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>
    <em>‘Yeah... that’s my Nagito.'</em>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Just go back to sleep for now, dork," he replied. "All this venting's been exhausting."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Fine, fine."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Nagito turned back over and closed his eyes. When he didn't feel Hajime move, he pulled him closer by his shirt. Hajime smiled softly and wrapped his arms around his chest again. He rested his head in the crook of his neck and closed his eyes, waiting for their new hope.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Okay, this took way too long to update lol, I hope you all are happy with the ending! Now my focus is going to be shifting back to "Swimming in Hope and Despair" and a new story that I'm both super nervous and super excited for! For those who are curious, it is another DR story starring Nagito and someone you may not expect...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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